Here are some photos I took this month while strolling around the Marché aux Puces on a particularly lovely Saturday.
Marché de Vanves
I started out at the Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves on the south side of the city because it’s only open until lunchtime (and I’m a late riser). These are all temporary stands set up along the Avenue Marc Sangnier and Avenue Georges Lafenestre in the 14th (M° Porte de Vanves). Great bargains and bric-a-brac to sift through, as well as some very fine antiques and collectibles of small (ie portable) size. At the crossroads a man entertained the shoppers with a bit of jazz.
Marché de St-Ouen
Then I rode the metro line 4 all the way up to the north side of town to the Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen. This is the big one in the suburb of St-Ouen, just across the Paris ring road (périphérique) from the Porte de Clignancourt metro station. When you get out of the metro you’re not yet “in” the Marché aux Puces.
The temporary stands you see are selling new clothes, DVDs of dubious origin, incense and cheap jewelry. This is also know as the Thieves Market because when you walk past on your way to the real Marché aux Puces you’ll have more than one guy trying to sell you a Rolex or a Gucci bag. Move along, move along…
When you reach the St-Ouen Marché aux Puces (after the overpass), you’ll see signs pointing to all of the individual markets within. It’s like a flea market city with little neighborhoods specializing in different kings of antiques: Marché Paul Bert, Marché Dauphine, Marché Vernaison, Marché Serpette…
When the weather is nice, many of the stall owners put their wares out on the sidewalk.
A note on the market: get your cash in Paris; there are few cash machines on site and they are usually empty or out of order.
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